Justice Sylvanus Oriji of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has issued an ex-parte order, restricting Abuja protesters to the National Stadium otherwise known as the MKO Abiola stadium.
The scheduled nationwide protest against economic hardship in the country is slated to commence tomorrow..
In the ex-parte application that was moved by Chief Ogwu Onoja, SAN, the FCT Minister, prayed the court for an order of interim injunction restraining the five leaders of the protesting groups from gathering or parading themselves along any roadway, streets, offices and public premises within the FCT between August 1 to August 10, or any other day thereafter, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
He equally applied for order of interim injunction mandating security agencies to prevent the protesting leaders from gathering or parading themselves along any roadway, offices or public premises within the FCT between August 1 and 10, pending the determination of the suit.
Insisting that the Federal Government was not opposed to the planned protest, the FCT Minister told the court that intelligence and security reports reaching him indicated that some elements within the leadership of the protesters were planning to capitalize on the protest to cause havoc and irreparable damages to public facilities and to also block roadways to prevent movement of persons and vehicles and disturb public peace.
He claimed that when he contacted the security agencies to ensure that the planned protest will not degenerate into criminality and disturbance of public peace and order, he was told that they are not well equipped to manage any crisis that may arise from the planned protest at a short notice.
The Minister tendered an exhibit from the “Take it Back Movement, FCT,” signed by one Damilare Adenola, in which they threatened to invade the Presidential Villa and also threatened to pull down the outer wires facing the Aso Rock villa during the protest
The said exhibit further indicated that the organisers demanded that they should be provided with light as well as toilet during the duration of the protest.
After he had listened to the Applicant, Justice Oriji, while acknowledging the right of individuals to embark on the protest, however restricted them to the Stadium in view of the fears expressed by the minister.
“In the light of the above, the court considers it appropriate and expedient to grant an order under the omnibus or general prayer to ensure that the rights of the protesters are guaranteed and that the protest does not negatively or adversely affect the rights of other citizens to move about and to ensure that that properties and other public facilities are not destroyed,” the judge held.
He, therefore, ordered the 1st to 5th respondents to “use the Moshood Abiola Stadium” only for the protest.
More so, the court ordered the service of processes in the suit as well as the confinement order on the respondents by placing same on the newspapers.
Cited as 1st to 12th Defendants in the suit, are; Omoyele Sowore, Damilare Adenola, Adama Ukpabi, Tosin Harsogba, persons unknown, Inspector General IG of Police, Commissioner of Police, Director General of the State Security Service, Director General, Nigeria Civil Defense Corps, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air staff and the Chief of Naval Staff.
